


Finding Yourself

by rurambles



Category: Tsubasa: Reservoir Chronicle
Genre: 5 Times, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-09
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:07:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26377774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rurambles/pseuds/rurambles
Summary: Five times Fai found himself
Relationships: Fay D. Fluorite/Kurogane
Comments: 2
Kudos: 46





	Finding Yourself

i.

The first time it happened he wasn’t ready for it. He was walking through the marketplace looking for Syaoran and Kurogane who had gone out ahead of him when he felt tiny fingers trying to pilfer his pockets. 

Without looking he grabbed the child’s wrist and came face-to-face with unflinching familiar blue eyes. Or they would have been face-to-face if this child-- Yuui, he just instinctively knew by the look in his eyes-- wasn’t just that, a child. He couldn’t have been more than thirteen. Younger than Syaoran when they started journeying together.

Fai’s grip around his alternate counterpart’s wrist tightened as he frantically looked around. If he was here was Fai here too? Was this Yuui alone as well? Were the twins doomed to be separated? He couldn’t come out and ask the child if he had a twin and if he was alive and doing well, because they obviously weren’t doing well. 

His gaze finally landed on Yuui again who was trying to break free from Fai’s grip, not understanding the sheer panic the older man was going through. Yuui was small, his face dirty and nails embedded with dirt, chipped in places. What should be shiny gold hair lay brittle and limp and desperately in need of a trim. What could be the plump cheeks of the child spoke of malnutrition that Fai knew all too well. 

“Let me go! What’s your problem?” 

Fai finally came back to himself and dropped Yuui’s wrist before he could make more of a scene.

“You’re Yuui, right?” he finally choked out, surprising even himself at what his voice sounded like. 

The child lowered his eyes, appraising the man in front of him. He either couldn’t feel the bond their souls had or didn’t know how to interpret the feeling he did have. Regardless, he obviously didn’t trust him. 

“What’s it to you?”

“Do you need help?”

Fai couldn’t offer him much, he didn’t know how long they were going to stay in that world and he wouldn’t be able to live with himself if he caused this child more heartbreak. All he could do was give what he needed right at this moment, money. 

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a handful of colorful shiny coins, this world’s currency, “Please, take it.” 

Yuui gave him an evaluating glace before grabbing the coins and dashing away.

For a moment Fai really thought he was going to let that be the end of it. He watched as the boy’s back got smaller and he tried to disappear into the crowd but he found his feet moving him unwillingly.

He followed Yuui from a distance to a narrow and dirty alleyway. At the back of the alley, hidden in the shadows of the taller buildings, was a small hovel. The tiny house was put together with old rotting boards and held together by sheer force of will.

When he saw Fai, the real Fai, the child with the soul of his long lost and long missed brother, he had to turn around.

-

At night he met back up with Syaoran and Kurogane at the inn they had found a few nights before. He sat at the table and poked at his food with a fork, lost in thought and memories and not even thinking to tease Kurogane about his skills with the foreign utensil. 

“Fai-san? Are you okay?” Syaoran asked after his silence went on for too long.

Fai tried to smile and reassure him but by the look on his companions' faces he didn’t do a very good job in convincing them of anything.

“We’ve never run into another Syao-kun or Kuro-tan before, ne?” he asked, looking out the door and back towards the market street.

He could feel Kurogane’s gaze on him even if he wasn’t saying anything. The ninja really was too perceptive for his own good and he knew either he was going to be confronted in private about his comment or Syaoran’s wheels would finish turning and he would finally reach the same conclusion.

Like father, like son. 

“Did you…” Syaoran started carefully, looking between the two adults to see if he should continue the sentence but getting nothing from either of them, “did you see yourself?”

“I guess I did. He tried to pickpocket me. Isn’t that funny? Trying to steal from yourself. Yuui didn’t recognize me though, but it’s probably for the best.”

He tried to smile at them again to try and hide the pain he was feeling clenching his chest but this time he knew not to meet their eyes to see how he failed. It had been a long time since he felt loss such as this. 

“Do you want to help them?” Kurogane spoke up finally. 

Fai tried to hide his flinch. Of course Kurogane read into his words and picked up the correct conclusion that Fai was there too.

“Did he see you? Your brother?”

He didn’t know that Kurogane could sound so kind while asking something that could so easily shatter him. He took in a sharp breath to try and calm his emotions but this type of mourning wasn’t easily quelled. This time Fai didn’t trust his voice so he shook his head no and tried to discreetly wipe away the forming tears. 

Kurogane suggested that they retire to their rooms and Fai jumped at the chance to leave the private setting. 

When the three of them were securely in their room he managed to muddle his way through what happened earlier that day. His voice was pained and his tears fell freely but with one hand holding on to each of them, he felt safe.

They talked about what they should do about the children, if anything. Would it be okay if they interfered with their lives? How much interference was okay? They calmed Fai when he started on about how he and his brother were always destined for misfortune and unhappiness. In the end Fai decided that he would like to bring some food for them.

“A simple act of kindness and a home cooked meal would have meant a lot to me and Fai,” he said quietly.

-

The next night Fai slowly walked towards the alley where his soul’s double was living. His arms were heavy with food that their host so graciously let them make in her kitchen. He had made everything he could think to make, be it savory or sweet or bitter or tart. Those boys were going to end up well fed. 

Fai stalled as he got to the entrance of the alleyway but Kurogane’s warm hand on his shoulder gave him the courage he needed to continue on. 

Kurogane knocked on the door for him so he didn’t have to shuffle containers around. 

Two blond heads peeked through a crack in the door. 

“It’s the guy from yesterday!”  
“He does look like us!” They spoke simultaneously. 

Fai held out all of the food in his arms, “I thought you two might be hungry considering you’re low on cash,” he smiles at Yuui, “I made plenty. You should have it.” 

They eyed him suspiciously for a moment but then Fai elbowed Yuui. “I think we should take it. We can trust him. Can’t you feel it?” 

Innocent blue eyes looked up at him. “Thank you!”

ii, 

The world they’re in is peaceful. All of the trees are topped with soft pink cotton that hums when the breeze passes through. The lake that the town is built around has pastel green waters and brightly colored fish that Kurogane calls koi. The town has been so calm and welcoming that it puts Kurogane and Fai on edge as they wait for the other shoe to drop.

Today though, Fai links their arms and they walk around the lake. It’s sunny but not too hot as every day has been. Everything about this place was a touch too nice. 

“I don’t like it here.” Kurogane says gruffly when they’re far enough away from the main part of town. “I don’t trust this place.” 

“I know what you mean, Kuro-sama.” Fai looks across the lake, “I don’t feel any magic but no place is this happy without something pulling the strings.” 

Syaoran is ten paces behind them reading about the local culture. He expertly walks around obstacles without looking up. Fai smiles fondly at him. “Or maybe we’re just getting a break. It’s nice not being shot at for a change. Guns were a terrible invention.” 

Kurogane just grunts. 

“How’s your arm?” Fai tightens his grip just a bit. 

“Fine. Sore.” 

Fai hums like he’s considering whether or not to accept his answer. “I know when your shoulder bleeds.” 

Kurogane grunts again. “Are you hungry?” 

He smiles up at his partner, “I think vampires would ruin the image of this perfect world, don’t you?” 

As they keep walking the ground beneath them changes to sand. The beach is beautiful full of glistening white sand and somehow full of unbroken shells in a multitude of shapes, colors, and sizes. It adds to the utter unrealness of the world but the beach is full of laughing children having happy childhoods and no one in their small family is going to take that away from them if they can help it. 

Syaoran runs to catch up with them. “Kurogane-san, it says here that they have a sun festival. In your culture--” 

But Syaoran is cut off when two young boys collide into their trio. 

“Hey, watch it!” Kurogane snaps at them but he’s mostly annoyed at himself. He was paying attention to Syaoran but surely he should have sensed two people charging him. When he actually looks at the two children, he understands what happened. 

In normal circumstances he would have noticed them. But if his extra sense recognized them as Fai… 

Fai clutched Kurogane’s arm harder. He didn’t expect to run into them (himself?) again, let alone so soon. It was only a few worlds ago that he made food for the other orphaned twins. These twins though looked happy and healthy. They had plump rosy red cheeks and their shiny hair curled around their ears.

“You look like us!” They said together.

Kurogane could feel nails digging into his arm as Fai nodded. 

“Come with us!” 

“Come meet our mom!” 

The twins grabbed Fai’s free arm and pulled him. Fai followed but dragged Kurogane with him. He didn’t know why he was afraid this time. He had faced them once before. But this whole world put him on edge. 

They dragged them towards a woman with long blonde hair. They knew her to be Chii without being introduced. Fai couldn’t look at her, instead he turned to lean into Kurogane. It was hard to see himself and his brother happily being raised by his mother. He was happy for them, of course, he didn’t know that a Fai and a Yuui could have happiness together, but he couldn’t help the twinge of jealousy. 

Chii looked at Fai. There was no recognition in her eyes but there was warmth. 

She turned to her boys, “Look what Fai and Yuui found.”

“Doesn’t he look just like us Chii? Is he from the same place we are?”

Fai shakes his head, “No, we’re not. I’m from somewhere dark where it always snows.”

Their eyes light up and they quickly tell him that they’ve never seen snow and will he please tell them what it’s like. Fai tries to tell them about the beauty of winter and all of the fun you can have with snow, but his words are undoubtedly tinged with sadness. He may have grown up in snowy places but he was never in a position to play in the snow and enjoy the weather. All he can say is the cold doesn’t bother him.

“Children, why don’t you find me some shells to take home?” 

The twins clamor away in search of the best looking shells, immediately forgetting about the strangers they dragged over. 

Chii watches them as they laugh and shove each other.

“It’s nice to see them laugh. When I got them they were so quiet.”

“You’re not their mother?” Kurogane asks bluntly. 

She laughs, “No, I’m not that old. They were given to me from a couple a few towns over. They were in a bad situation, their parents didn’t want them and weren’t feeding them. Everything is better now though. When they first arrived at my house they didn’t speak but we warmed up to each other and now it’s hard to get them to stop sometimes.” 

Fai smiles at her, “That sounds like when we got Syaoran.”

Syaoran makes a face at him that reminds him too much of Kurogane. “That’s not exactly how it went.” 

He waves a dismissive hand, “You were quiet, we didn’t get along, now we’re family and you talk a lot.” Fai grins at him and ruffles his hair. It’s a very abbreviated and rather emotionless telling of their time together, but Syaoran accepts it.

“We should be getting back.” Kurogane doesn’t wait for an answer and drags the two of them back the way they came. 

“I’m fine Kuro-sama,” he whispers to his partner.

Kurogane ignores him. 

\--

Later that night, when Fai collapses into bed and buries his head into Kurogane’s chest to try and hide the tears, Kurogane knows he made the right choice pulling them out of there when he did. Fai shakes with silent sobs.

“How come we always need to be abused?” 

Kurogane pulls him closer. 

iii,

They’re used to landing with a bang. They are not used to landing amidst explosions. 

The battlefield seems to pause and their interdimensional bubble pops in the middle of a scarred battlefield. There are deeply dug trenches lined with both barbed wire and shimmering spell-work shields on both sides of the field. The fighters and spellcasters on both sides look at the group with wide-eyed amazement. Most people try and get away from the fighting, not teleport right into it. 

Without thinking Fai places a barrier around his family.

Everyone seems to spring into motion at once.

Fai can hear a spellcaster on one side of the battle loudly talking about how their entrance didn’t feel like any teleportation magic she has ever felt. Other spellcasters chime in to agree or offer alternate reasons until they’re all talking over each other and no one is listening. A bit a way a group of soldiers are loading cannons with non-magic artillery, large iron balls that could easily tear through a person or scare a wizard enough to drop concentration for a shield.

The other side is strengthening their magical and non-magical barriers. Sandbags are piled high enough that if an enemy soldier made it that far they would be forced to climb to enter the bunker, leaving themselves vulnerable. Meanwhile the magic shields shone with spiderweb pulses as caster after caster weaved their own layer into the complex shield. 

Syaoran eyed both sides nervously, “what do we do?” 

Fai and Kurogane exchanged a glance. They would either have to pick a side and hope they weren’t suspected to be enemy spies or make a run for it and trust Fai’s shielding would hold up against any oncoming attack. (And if they did pick a side they knew Syaoran would worry about choosing the right side, or if there’s a right side, or if they should get involved in this world’s war at all.)

Silently Kurogane scanned the battlefield for an escape route. When he found what would perhaps be their best chance for survival he made eye contact with Fai again then glanced in the direction of the path. Fai nodded back.

“Well Syaoran,” he said cheerfully, “it looks like we should--”

Fai gets cut off by a commotion in the barrier-building camp. They had been working with a quiet efficiency but the enraged shouting suggested upheaval in their ranks. Fai prayed to whatever deities this world had that someone was not arguing to kill them on sight. 

The explosion of fighting only lasted a moment until someone climbed over the sandbags. He was covered in dirt. He looked so young, so tired, so--

“YUUI!” he shouted desperately, voice cracking. 

Maybe this world’s deities were cruel. There was a war going on after all.

“Change of plan Kuro-tan, we’re going to see my brother.”

No one believed the false chipperness of his voice.

\--

The trenches are dusty and dirty. After only a moment of walking their shoes and clothes and bodies are covered in a fine layer of grime that would require a vigorous scrub to remove, or one of those washing machines from previous worlds. The walls are lined with wooden crates and metal barrels, contents hidden from view, but they’re spaced evenly throughout the winding passageways so one is never more than a few steps away.

Most of the people running along-- and everyone is running, they are the only ones walking-- don’t spare a moment to glance at the ragtag group meandering their camp, they simply keep heading towards their destination as fast as possible. The few people who do pause to gawk are immediately glared at by Fai, this world’s Fai, and as young as he is everyone respects his glower as a clear dismissal. 

After almost half an hour of walking in silence the scenery finally changed. The grounds got rockier and the walls towered higher until they were led straight into a cave. The cave was lined with cots and blankets, most of which were empty but a few contained soldiers off shift trying to catch a quick nap or not too seriously wounded. Next comes stores of food and medicine, after that the more grievously wounded, and then a war room.

It’s not until they reached the large meeting room did Fai turn around to look at the stragglers he picked up. He made quick eye contact but looked away just as fast. With a wave of his hand the door behind them closed and torches lit up the room. Syaoran jumped and Kurogane put a hand on his sword, but the twins just looked at each other again without saying a word.

Kurogane flexed his fingers and noticeably relaxed his stance so Syaoran would follow suit. This was Fai’s show to run. One of them at least. 

The younger one wrung his hands, ran his fingers through his hair, wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. He couldn’t stop fidgeting. If he wasn’t the one to lead them here it would be easy to believe he was acting like a trapped animal. 

“I’m--” Fai, their Fai, started to say but the other held up a hand. He was trying desperately to compose himself and it showed on his face in a way that was so unusual for everyone else in the room. They never knew Fai to wear his emotions so clearly. 

“I know you’re not my Yuui,” his voice shook, “Yuui died a year ago in this stupid war. But you look so much like him. Like me. But older. Who are you?” He wiped away at the stray tears. 

“Yuui was good at battle magic?” he asked instead of answering. 

“The best. The king wanted to use him as a weapon and Yuui didn’t want to and,” he gestured in the direction of the battlefield, “now everything is scorched and my brother is gone!” 

“I’m not your brother.”

“I already said I know that!” 

“But I’m not… not your brother?” Fai couldn’t meet the questioning eyes of his brother so instead he turned to look at Syaoran, placing a hand on his head. “Your Yuui was great at battle magic. I am too but I’ve studied far more than that. There’s far more than that. We travel to different worlds.”

There. He said there were different worlds and he hoped that he did not have to explain that he was from a different world, that the answer was obvious. But more he hoped that he didn’t have to explain why he was out trapezing the multiverse without his brother, because that answer was so much harder to explain.

Fai spun around again but kept his gaze towards his feet. Was it his brother he couldn’t look at? Himself at war? 

“Take me with you!” he shouted suddenly, “there’s nothing for me here, please. Take me away from this place.”

Fai couldn’t stop the sob that tore itself from his throat or stop the tears from falling, but he could stop anyone from seeing. He was about to unlock the door behind him and run until a heavy hand on his shoulder stopped him. Kurogane grabbed him and pulled him towards his chest so he could bury his face in his partner’s shirt. He sobbed louder. 

Mokona chose now to make an entrance. 

He popped out of his hiding place in Syaoran’s hood. “Sorry Little Fai but Mokona can’t take you with us. Mokona can only take Syaoran, Kurogane, our Fai, and sometimes Sakura!” 

Mokona jumped weightlessly and landed on his Fai’s shoulder to pet his hair soothingly, “I’m sorry we can’t help here.”

“What… what are you?” 

“Mokona is Mokona!” 

Kurogane rolled his eyes. “We all paid a witch so we could travel and the bun is how we do it.”

“So I can’t come with you?” 

Fai pulled away from Kurogane and grabbed his brother in a tight hug, freely crying in his hair. They clung tightly to each other, mourning the brother they lost, the one they found, the one they couldn’t stay with. 

\--

“Kurogane-san?” Syaoran whispered later that night.

“I know what you’re going to say kid and the answer is no.”

Fai had given them some place to sleep before they had to continue on their journey. Their Fai had passed out the moment he was horizontal, something very unlike him, but it had been an extra emotionally draining day. 

Syaoran continued on, “But we can just call and ask!” 

“You haven’t thought this through at all,” he said sternly. “What do you think the kid’s gonna pay to travel? If he’s as powerful as this idiot then what do you think will happen to all the people he’s protecting? How do you think the two of them would actually feel traveling together? It’s a bad idea, we’re not doing it.”

“It would be very confusing to have two Fais!” Mokona chirruped. 

Syaoran looked down at his hands, “I guess I didn’t think how they would actually feel. They’re already so sad.”

“What’s dead is dead. Let them try and leave it in the past.” 

iv, 

The apartment they have in this world is nice. The older landlady was more than willing to trade the room for some easy fixes and renovations so they were living comfortably for the duration of their stay. They truly were spoiled by things like air conditioning now. 

Fai seemed relaxed for the first time in months after his tearful goodbye with his younger self a few worlds back.

They fell into a nice routine. Every morning Fai would head to the market to get fresh food for dinner with the money they were able to scrounge up. After a week he knew the names of everyone on the way and had a cheerful rapport with many of them. On the way back he would stop at one of the many bakeries and buy himself a treat. 

Early in the mornings Kurogane would go for a jog. It seemed to be the exercise of choice in the small city and it took two days for a small running group full of elderly ladies to adopt him. At first he went along begrudgingly but he found they actually kept a good pace and they ended up being a good source of information about the city when they weren’t trying to set him up with one of their granddaughters. After saying goodbye to the running group he did repairs around the apartment building.

Syaoran spent hours holed up in the university library that never closed. Occasionally Fai, Kurogane, or one of the librarians would bring him food or kick him out for a few hours if they worried he was growing too attached to his chair. 

Most nights they met up for a homemade dinner and talked about their respective days. It was nice. Peaceful. 

By far the best part of the apartment was the large balcony that overlooked a park. The balcony was large enough for a table and they often ate dinner around outside when the weather allowed. Along with the table was a grill and two lounge chairs that were just too small for Kurogane and Fai but they didn’t mind too much that their legs dangled over the edge. 

At night crickets chirped and fireflies blinked their lights. Peaceful.

\--

Kurogane enjoyed watching people walk around the park from his vantage on the balcony. He didn’t do anything as idiotic as make up life stories for the strangers he saw but it was calming to see others so relaxed, especially when he was so used to having his senses heightened and waiting.

Maybe that lulled him into a false sense of security. 

He watched from afar as two blonds walked through the park with linked arms. They were the same height but one had short hair and the other a braid that bounced with every step, just like its owner. They walked slowly, purposely bumping into each other or shoving each other and causing a chase. It was another one of those things that made this world so peaceful. 

So he was surprised when the pair reached their destination-- one of the largest trees Kurogane had ever seen-- turned and sat together to reveal matching faces. Faces that matched his idiot mage inside. And they looked so happy. 

One of them pulled out a book and a notebook, the other pulled out a device that Kurogane could finally identify as a laptop even if the concept was still extremely foreign. They simply sat close to each other, doing their own thing, looking happy. Together. 

Kurogane was about to go get Fai so he could also witness this brotherly scene when one of them, laptop and braid, jumped up and ran towards someone else. Kurogane traced his path and right before they collided he realized, oh, that’s me. His other version was thinner, not as defined, and had longer hair but it was undeniably his double.

And he watched as one of the twins launched himself into his double’s arms. There was no pick up and spin around like in some of the romance movies Sakura and Tomoyo had made them watch in Piffle. If he was closer he imagined he would have heard a satisfying thunk. But the twin looked up and beamed, a true smile, and they shared a quick kiss before rejoining the abandoned brother at the tree.

The other Kurogane fit in just fine. He threw an arm around his partner who snuggled close while talking animated with his brother. When they quieted down the brothers stretched one of their legs so their ankles were overlapping and touching. They shared a smile and everyone went back to their own thing. It looked comfortable. 

\--

“Oi. Come out here.”

Fai sighed. “I’m in the middle of cooking, Kuro-pii, and someone is too good for burnt food.”

“Then make it so nothing is going to burn and get out here. I want to show you something.”

Fai made a big show of turning off the stove burner and moving pots and pans around. “Okay, okay, you got me. Now what’s so important to make dinner late?”

Kurogane led him out to the balcony and pointed to the three by the tree.

“Oh. That’s us. Maybe.” 

“What do you mean maybe?”

Fai turned away from the scene and leaned against the railing. “Did you ever wonder if you were supposed to meet Fai? The real Fai? Or if there’s one of us waiting for you in Nihon? If I had a Kuro in either of my home worlds they’d be dead. Do you think I took you from my brother or another version of us?”

“No.”

“...that’s it? Just no.” He asked incredulously, “I asked you an important question and all you can say is no?”

“No, you idiot.”

Fai laughed humorlessly, “ah, I suppose that’s better.” 

Kurogane watched the three by the tree in the park, they look as if they’ve never had a care in the world. It was dimensions away from what he was used to. “Does it matter?” He asked finally.

“Of course it matters. I took everything from Fai. I don’t want to take more from another one. Or a better Yuui.”

“Well too bad. I don’t care about the possibilities. Maybe I would have liked your brother, he’d probably be less annoying than you, but if he showed up right now nothing would change. I didn’t travel with him or sacrifice for him. I don’t willingly give him my blood or my life. So the answer is just no. I don’t wonder about that.”

“Kuro-sama…”

“And another thing! What have I said about sacrificing yourself? You’re allowed to be happy too.”

Fai turned back to look at the trio. “Do you think they’re happy?”

“Yeah, I do.”

v, 

They recognize Nihon the moment they land. Mokona dropped them in a pile in the middle of Shirasaki Castle where Amaterasu and Tsukuyomi are holding court. Tomoyo-hime is overjoyed by their arrival and even though she’s trying to hide her wide grin behind her sleeve, there’s no hiding the glint in her eyes. 

Amaterasu orders them to rooms so she can deal with them later and servants shuffle them off but not before Tomoyo-hime calls out, “Oh, Kurogane, I have something for you later.” They’re escorted out to the sounds of her chuckling. 

\--

“What do you think the princess has for you, Kurogane-san?” 

Kurogane flops on the floor and leans his back against the wall, “Knowing her, nothing good.”

“She probably made you something beautiful,” Fai laughs as he flits around the room.

“Like I said, nothing good.”

For the next hour or so they wait. Servants come in and out, offering them food or tea but they are quickly dismissed by Kurogane, who-- even though he has been away for some time-- still retains some amount of notoriety. 

He’s about to brush away another servant but she brings that news that Tsukuyomi will see her loyal guard, and only her loyal guard, in her personal chambers. Kurogane glances at Syaoran and Fai but shrugs and shoulders and stands to leave. He knows that they’ll be safe here.

“Ya don’t need to lead me, I know the way.” 

If he stomps the entire way to Tomoyo-hime’s rooms, no one is brave enough to say anything about it. He takes a deep breath to steel himself for some ridiculous formalities that are sure to take longer than the main reason he’s been summoned here alone. 

When he enters her room she motions for him to sit across the table and pours him some tea without asking.

“How has your journey been?” she asks politely.

Kurogane grunts. “Fine.”

A smile breaks out on her face and she doesn’t attempt to hide it. “I’ve missed you too. It’s been two years since you last departed.”

He shrugs, there’s been no reason for him to keep track of time when time between worlds moves so differently. “So what’s going on that you wouldn’t say in front of the others?” 

“Blunt as ever, how I’ve missed you. Let me show you first.” She raised her right hand and a guard stepped out of the shadows, uttering a quick ‘right away’ before disappearing. 

Kurogane drummed his fingers against the table, not even pretending to be patient but also hiding the smallest thread of anxiety. She wasn’t here to show him some new clothes she made, or gossip over what her sister and Soma have been up to lately. Barring those… it left every other possible thing that he didn’t know where to begin sifting through.

The door he previously entered through opened again and the guard walked in with two children in tow. Two blond children. Two blond children who wore the face of his partner. 

Oh. 

“You didn’t want the wizard to see this.” He said without taking his eyes off the children.

“No, I thought it best to come to you with this issue first. They are indeed Fai and his brother. They’re from our world but not Nihon, and they were brought over by slavers.”

Kurogane felt his blood pressure rise. The children could not be more than five years old. They both had gaunt faces but they were clean and dressed properly. One sat on each side of Tomoyo-hime and they both stared at their hands, never looking up, but he didn’t need to see their eyes to know they were missing a light.

“The slavers were caught and arrested,” she continued on, “but one of the guards saw these children and sent word to me because they remembered seeing Fai around the castle and thought they might be relatives of his.”

He snorted, “that’s one word for it.” 

“How would you like to proceed?”

“Bring him here, he should know.”

Tomoyo raised her hand again and the guard nodded. It should only take a few minutes for Fai to arrive but Tomoyo turned to the children and her whole demeanor changed. Her face softened as she whispered and giggled at them. The children didn’t speak back but one of them cracked a smile.

“Oh Kuro-sama, are you going to put on a fashion show for… me…?” Fai announced himself in his usual gregarious way but trailed off when he saw the children. His eyes widened and without warning his legs gave out.

The sound of the thunk made the children look up and then there they all were. Staring at each other.

Kurogane was first to speak up. “I thought you would want to know. And have a say in what happens with them.”

“They were hurt, weren’t they?” he asks softly.

Tomoyo nods and explains what she already told Kurogane.

Fai's eyes welled with tears. It was always them. They were always hurt as children with no one who truly loved them. It wasn't fair that he had to live it and then see it world after world. Large blue eyes filled with hurt and confusion stared up at him, he who was a complete mystery, like them only bigger. What could he possibly say to help? What advice could he give to make sure these children had a good life? After Ashura rescued him most people thought he was living a good and safe life, and looked how that turned out. There was no guarantee. 

"Kuro-sama. Can we stay here? Can we watch them?"

He didn't expect the words that came out of his mouth, and judging by the look on Kurogane's face, he didn't either. But before he could take anything back, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to take anything back, Tomoyo clapped her hands together. 

"Oh, that's a wonderful idea!" 

Her eyes sparkled like she got just what she was planning all along.

**Author's Note:**

> I had planned to do more with this but I really fell off at the end. Either way, I wanted to post it. Hope you enjoyed.


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